Collapsible furniture



Sept. 25, 1956 J. M. SHARPE COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiIed July 15, 1955 INVENTOR. James M. SHARP! ATTOQNEY5 p 25, 1956 J. M. sHARPE 2,764,225

COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 15, 1955 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMEs MSHARPE:

AT TO QHEYS 2,764,225 Patented Sept. 25, 1956 COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE James Melvin Sharpe, Cleveland, Ghio Application July 15, 1955, Serial No. 522,348

3 Claims. (Cl. 155139) This invention relates to collapsible furniture and more particularly to furniture of the type having a seat, a back and arms.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the transportation and storage of furniture of the type referred to and at the same time enable it to be readily assembled for use with but a minimum of effort.

Another object is to assure steady rigidity of the article of furniture and to prevent accidental collapse thereof.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a bed frame having back legs adjacent opposite ends which extend downwardly and outwardly from the bed frame adjacent one longitudinal side edge thereof, a back frame connected to the bed frame to move in an arcuate path thereabove adjacent the side edge thereof carrying the back legs, front legs pivotally connected to the bed frame for movement about an axis which lies parallel to land adjacent the longitudinal side edge of the bed frame remote from the back legs, arms pivotally carried by the front legs for movement about axes which coincide with the longitudinal axes of the front legs, and detachable fasteners carried by the arms and entering opposite ends of the back frame for holding the parts extended.

Other features include trunnions carried by the arms and extending into the front legs to pivotally connect the arms to the front legs for movement about the longitudinal axes thereof, said arms having openings extending thereinto adjacent the trunnions, and latches carried by the front legs and extending into the openings to detachably hold the arms on the front legs.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear side of a set-tee embodying the features of this invention and showing the cushions removed therefrom;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the settee collapsed and ready for transportation or storage;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the article of furniture herein described comprises a bed frame 10, which is formed of spaced parallel side rails 12 and 14 which are joined by spaced parallel end rail-s 16 and 18. Carried by the end rails 16 and 18 as continuations thereof and extending downwardly and outwardly from one longitudinal side edge of the bed frame are back legs 20 and 22. These back legs are joined at their ends remote from the back rail 14 of the bed frame 10 by a stretcher bar 24 such as is conventionally employed with tubular metal furniture of the type to which this invention relates.

Bolted or otherwise secured to the back rail 14 of the bed frame 10 as at 26 are spaced collars 28 to which are welded sleeves 30 in which is rotatably supported the bottom rail 32 of a back frame designated generally 34. The back frame 34 comprises the bottom rail 32, spaced parallel perpendicularly extending end rails 36 and 38 and a top rail 40 which joins the end rails remote from the bottom rail 32. Suitable grid bars 42 and 44 are carried by the side rails 12 and- 14 and 32 and 40 of the respective bed frame 10 and back frame 34 to provide supports for suitable cushions (not shown).

Pivotally connected as by bolts 46 for movement about a common axis which lies adjacent and parallel to the side rail 12 of the bed frame 10 are front legs 48 and 50 which are of tubular formation and connected at their lower ends by a stretcher bar 52. Resilient latches designated generally 54 are connected to the legs 48 and. 50 and comprise resilient arms 56 carrying tongues 58 which are yieldin-gly urged by the arms 56 across the tops of the legs 48 and 50, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings.

Arms designated generally 60 comprise angularly extending legs 62 and 64 and carried by the legs 62 of the arms 60 and projecting through the ends thereof remote from the legs 64 of said arms are trunnions 66 which are adapted to extend into the upper open ends of the legs 48 and 50 to connect the arms 60 with the legs 48 and 50 for rotation about the longitudinal axes of said legs 48 and 50. Each leg 62 of each arm 60 is provided adjacent its end carrying the trunnions 66 with an opening 68 for receiving the tongue 58 of an adjacent latch 54 to releasably lock the arms 60 in the legs 48 and 50. Carried by the legs 64 of the arms 60 remote from the legs 62 thereof are detachable fasteners 70 which, when "the article of furniture is extended, are adapted to enter the end bars 38 of the back frame 34 and be secured therein in any conventional manner.

In use, it will be evident that when the arms 60 are connected to the back frame 34 in the manner suggested in Figure 1, the legs 48 and 50 will be held in an upright position to cooperate with the legs 20 and 22 in supporting the bed frame 10 in spaced relation to a supporting surface and thus provide a comfort-able seat when the cushions are in place. When it is desired to transport or store the article of furniture, the cushions are removed and the fasteners 70 disengaged from the end bars 38 of the back frame 34 so that the parts may be folded, as suggested in Figures 3 and 4, and will occupy but a minimum of space.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a bed frame, back legs carried by opposite ends of the bed frame and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom adjacent one longitudinal side edge thereof, a back frame connected to the bed frame to move in an arcuate path thereabove and adjacent the side edge thereof carrying the back legs, front legs pivotally connected to the bed frame for movement about an axis which lies parallel to and adjacent the longitudinal side'edge of the bed frame remote from the back legs, arms pivot-ally carried by the front legs for movement about axes which coincide with the longitudinal axes of the front legs, and detachable fasteners carried by the arms and entering opposite ends of the back frame for holding the parts extended.

2. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a bed frame, back legs carried by opposite ends of the bed frame and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom adjacent one longitudinal side edge thereof, a back frame connected to the bed frame to move in an arcuate p-ath thereabove and adjacent the side edge thereof carrying the back legs, front legs pivotally connected to the bed frame for movement about an axis which lies parallel to and adjacent the longitudinal side edge of the bed frame remote from the back legs, arms, trunnions carried by the arms and extending into the front legs to pivotally connect the arms to the front legs for movement about the longitudinal axes thereof, and detachable fasteners carried by the arms and entering opposite ends of the back frame for holding the parts extended.

3. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a bed frame, back legs carried by opposite ends of the bed frame and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom adjacent one longitudinal side edge thereof, a back frame connected to the bed frame to move in :an arcuate path thereabove and adjacent the side edge thereof carrying the back legs, front legs pivotally connected to the bed frame for movement about an axis which lies parallel to and adjacent the longitudinal side edge of the bed frame remote from the back legs, arms, trunnion-s carried by the arms and extending into the front legs to p-ivotally connect the arms to the front legs for movement about the longitudinal axes thereof, said arms having openings extending therein-to adjacent the trunnions, latches carried by the front legs and extending into the openings to detachably hold the arms on the front legs and the trunnions therein, and detachable fasteners carried by the arms and entering opposite ends of the back frame for holding the par-ts extended.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,629 Miles July 31, 1951 2,603,513 Greitzer July 15, 1952 2,718,916 Borochoff Sept. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 137,313 Sweden Sept. 16, 1952 

